


Broken Pieces

by shark_nose



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, F/F, M/M, One Night Stands, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rehabilitation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-21 15:05:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6056065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shark_nose/pseuds/shark_nose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After one brilliant night, Qrow has to leave before his partner can wake up. Next is sorting through the emotional mess that his decision left behind. But when Qrow goes into rehab for his alcoholism, he realizes he might have to face his problems sooner than he thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this happened...

It was many drinks later that the pair of men stumbled down the streets of Vale. The stars were gleaming despite the shining streetlights. Their laughter echoed through the alleys as they playfully bumped into each other.  
One man, a soon to be general, and the other, soon to go through hell, couldn’t be more different. But whether it was the alcohol racing through their blood or maybe just fate that the two of them were together here and now, when they looked back, neither of them would trade it for the world.  
Of course, neither of them could know that now.  
They mumbled soft words to each other on the way to the small apartment that James owned near the bar. Qrow was making his usual rounds, while James was there purely by chance. It wasn’t completely unusual for Qrow to go home with someone, but this time felt different. This time he felt like the morning after wouldn’t be spent in awkward side glances and silent goodbyes.  
At one point, Qrow had stumbled and nearly fallen, causing him to lean against James’s arm for support. It must had been a funny picture, the now scrawny man clinging to the ever-giant one.  
He had to decline the James’ drunken insistence to carry Qrow the rest of the way since he had been stumbling more often. Only, James didn’t listen and scooped up the smaller man anyway.  
“Really, babe, I’m fine.” Qrow tried to insist.  
James shook his head. “No.” He smiled. “No, you’re gonna fall again.”  
The smaller man buried his head in the larger one’s chest in embarrassment, “I’m not gonna fall, you idiot.” He mumbled.  
James just shook his head and kept on walking. Qrow was glad the streets were mainly empty, because he didn’t want to imagine the sorts of ridicule the pair might have gotten if not.  
It was strange to him, he acted like he had known this man all his life, when in reality they had only met a few hours ago.  
Who knew? it was probably the whiskey talking.  
Qrow made James put him down before they entered the apartment building, laughing as he unlocked the door.  
Almost as soon as they were inside, James wrapped Qrow up into a soft kiss. Gentle at first, testing the waters before growing hungry as the two of them became impatient. James’s hand was tangled in Qrow’s messy hair, and Qrow was seemingly on a mission to touch as many places as he could as fast as he could.  
James backed him into the wall, both of their hearts racing. Qrow leaned into his touch. When they broke apart after not very long, he rested his head on James’s warm chest.  
“You want to move to the bed?” James murmured. Qrow nodded, trailing after him. By chance, they started talking, but without hesitation they reconnected on the bed like they had known one another for years. Both of them were happy, and that’s all that mattered to them.  
Because little did they know, it would be the last time for far too long.

Four months later, and this happens. This was not good for Qrow Branwen.  
Oh no.  
Quite the opposite, in fact.  
He had promised his nieces lunch at their favorite diner with an ulterior motive because Qrow will be damned if this place didn’t have the best BLT this side of Vale.  
Ruby adored the place’s pancakes, while Qrow was pretty sure the only reason Yang was so insistent on going there was the cute waitress whose name he could never remember. Blair? Brock? He didn’t know, and he didn’t care who the kid liked.  
Qrow enjoyed playing the uncle role in their lives. Letting the girls do what they wanted and teaching them a lesson while they learned to clean up their own messes, but still looking out for them. Because Qrow knew better than anyone that kids made mistakes.  
But sometimes he had to step in and play the dad role. Helping them pick the right path because they will mess up, and it will hurt them. Someone has to be there to pick up the pieces when their real dad was off doing god knows what.  
But anyway, he had agreed to take them to the diner and Ruby was chatting up a storm beside him. He pushed through the door, habitually looking around the area in case something troubling caught his eye.  
That’s when he saw him.  
Memories of a summer fling not even four months ago came racing back. James Ironwood was sitting there on his own, empty plates cluttering the table. Qrow bit his tongue.  
He wanted to turn around, convince the kids that the fast food joint down the street was just as good so that he could get far enough to calm his rapidly climbing pulse because god damn was Qrow scared.  
He could remember everything—the bar they had met at, how the man’s skin had felt against his own, the way they couldn’t stop smiling right before they fell asleep.  
The way Qrow had left before the other man could wake up.  
No, this wasn’t happening. Qrow couldn’t let James Ironwood see him. Not here, not now. Not while guilt was pooling his entire body, making his stomach clench and his throat close up.  
He turned to head out the door as fast as he could, but it was late. Damn, Qrow panicked.  
He watched as the recognition clicked between the man who was waiting in the door of a greasy diner to the man who he had made scream his name in bed.  
Thousands of possibilities ran through Qrow’s mind.  
What if he starts yelling? What if he ignores me? What if-  
He didn’t get to finish. His brain registered Ironwood getting up from his table, staring right at Qrow.  
“Girls,” He started, “Why don’t you go find us a table? Somewhere in the shade…” Ruby pulled her reluctant sister with her to go hunt down a nice table in the admittedly uncrowded place.  
He smiled at the two, before his anxiety came full force. It was the smell that hit him first. The smell of clean pine needles and coffee sent Qrow’s mind whirling in the past.  
He coughed nervously, “Jimmy, didn’t expect to see you here.” He said.  
There wasn’t much that could shake him. Not Oz’s missions, not Yang’s fiery temper, nothing. But this? This was hell. Never had he had to face one of his one night flings again, and never had he regretted leaving as much as he did that time.  
Ironwood blinked, refusing to break eye-contact. Why won’t he say anything?  
Qrow knew what Ironwood wanted him to say. He’d do it to avoid confrontation, but that didn’t make it any better.  
“Look,” He lowered his voice. “I know you’re mad, and I’m sorry about leaving. I had my reasons though, and if you want to talk, we can do it later.”  
Qrow hated apologizing. It made him feel like he had lost the upper hand, but maybe this time it was necessary. Maybe this time, things would be smoothed out a bit.  
Ironwood put on a smile that didn’t reach his cold eyes. “Oh, Qrow. Why on earth would I want to talk to you?”  
Qrow lost his appetite.  
-  
“Who were you talking to?” Yang asked. He didn’t get to respond because the girl with the bow came to take their order. Yang grinned at her the entire time, being the flirt she is.  
The place was a kid friendly diner, so no alcohol, especially none in the afternoon, sadly enough, because Qrow could already feel a headache coming on that would only be satisfied with a bottle or two of whiskey.  
Life hadn’t been kind to Qrow, so he did what any other person would do and drowned his sorrows. Not that he wasn’t highly functioning, but still, he had more liquor in his cabinets than food which Tai frowned upon considering how much he kept the kids.  
But even with Ruby’s insistent chatter, he couldn’t shake his encounter with Ironwood.  
God, had it only been four months ago? He had forgotten about the time, but the memories were still there.  
He understood why James was so cold towards him, but he didn’t know why Qrow had left. He didn’t know how he rushed to the hospital, how he yelled and screamed until he was allowed to see Yang. Even now he risked a glimpse at the stump on the right side of his niece’s body. He never was able to forgive himself, that while he was out drinking, the kid he was supposed to look after was hurt.  
But how could he have known that?  
“Uncle Qrow? Uncle Qrow!” Ruby yelled to get his attention. He hummed in response. “What do you want to eat?”  
He turned towards the girl in the bow, “Does it look like I give a fuck.” He grumbled before returning to his thoughts. The girl just shrugged and wrote something down while Yang apologized for her sourly uncle’s behavior.  
Once lunch was over, he was going to have to take a long trip to the liquor store.  
-  
God, what time was it?  
He was going to regret this in the morning as he imagined the inevitable hangover that would haunt him. His vision too blurry to read the small numbers on his watch.  
He remembered… what did he remember?  
He remembered the liquor store, saluting the man at the counter and leaving with two, maybe three bottles of whiskey, a bottle of scotch, and a bottle of something with a fancy name he couldn’t remember the price of.  
It should have been enough to get his mind off of James fucking Ironwood.  
Or fucking James Ironwood.  
Maybe both, he wasn’t going to complain.

He remembered entering the bubbly, happy drunk phase where he should have stopped, before going to his ever-stocked cabinets for more. He didn’t care what it was at that point, the memories were still there.  
Most of all, he remembered James.  
This was some sort of bullshit. Countless bottles and he still couldn’t forget the man. Qrow couldn’t understand why the man mattered to him so much. It wasn’t like there was a relationship, or that he was heartbroken.  
No, he was just a lonely old man with too much time on his hands, so he spent it worrying about past love.  
And he still had time, and at least half a bottle of something strong smelling amongst the other bottles cluttering his couch. He shrugged, it was already bad.  
Might as well just make it worse.  
-  
It took him far too long to distinguish between the pounding in his head and on the door. -  
He got to the door, grabbing onto the wall for support. After three attempts, he got the door open. Qrow must have called Glynda, whose look of anger from being woken up vanished when she saw the state her colleague was in.  
“God, what have you done to yourself now?” she wondered out loud.  
He shook his head, “You don’t need to be here. Go home” He slurred. The dark circles under his eyes highlighted their bloodshot quality. His shirt was soaked in alcohol, and his hair was a tattered mess around his face. Glynda frowned, it had been a while since he had had a night this bad.  
“You’re drunk.”  
“No, you’re drunk.” He mimicked, struggling to stand straight.  
Glynda pushed passed him, ignoring his objections. “Jesus, Qrow.” She muttered at the pile of empty bottles surrounding the couch. “No, we have to fix this.” She said, making her decision.  
She took as many of the glass bottles as she could in her arms, looking for a place she could get rid of them without Qrow inevitably looking for them. In the end, she just set them in the bathroom and locked the door from the inside. She’d figure out what to do with them later.  
“Now,” Glynda turned to face him. “What on earth were you talking about over the phone?”  
“Get out of my house, I don’t want to talk about it.” She held her ground. “I said get the fuck out of my house.” He tried to step towards her, but stumbled and started to fall. Glynda rushed towards him and caught the man before he hit the ground, walking him back to the couch, now alcohol free.  
He slurred out something, something about thanks, and something about a James.  
“What are you talking about, Qrow?” She asked, moving his hair out of his eyes. She was glad no one could see him like this. For years now, whenever the man had gotten to a low point, she would be the first one he called. Glynda was one of the only people trusted enough to see Qrow vulnerable like this.  
“Fuckin’ James Ironwood.” He mumbled before burying his head into a pillow.  
That threw her for a loop. She wasn’t aware that the two men knew each other, or how exactly the newly appointed general upset him enough to drive Qrow to one of his low nights.  
“What do you mean?”  
Qrow’s voice was muffled by the pillow. “He and I slept together, it was months ago, and I left him ‘cause Yang. And today…”  
When he didn’t continue, Glynda shook him lightly, “And today?”  
“I fuckin’ saw him, and he fuckin’ just… he just walked by. He said he didn’t want to talk.”  
“And that upset you this much because?” She prompted.  
“That’s the god damn thing.” He said, voice raising. “I don’t have a clue.”  
She sighed. “Did you drink everything in those bottles?”  
“If I say no will you let me have more?”  
“Come on, let’s get you to bed.” She hauled the swaying man off the couch and towards the bedroom. Searching his drawers, she threw him some pajamas. “Get changed.” She ordered.  
After a few minutes, he reappeared from the bathroom with his shirt on backwards and his pants inside out, but he was out of his old clothes. Glynda could tell it was going to be a long night.  
Once he was in bed, she made herself a small perch on the couch, ignoring the stench of liquor.  
“You idiot,” She mumbled, “What have you gotten yourself into?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> quick chapter because there needed to be something, you know?

Qrow woke up to a quiet house, the smell of strong coffee, and a pounding in his head that would make Neal Peart jealous. Like a zombie, he slumped out of bed, wondering if Glynda was still there.  
Why would she be? She probably doesn’t even care.  
Qrow shooed those thoughts away. Of course Glynda cared… she had to care at least the slightest bit. Right? She was probably just busy this morning.  
When Qrow got to the kitchen, he found the source of the coffee and a note saying Glynda had needed to attend a meeting at the Beacon, which explained why she wasn’t there. He was kind of glad for that. Qrow was a mess in the mornings.   
The note also included a message in her sprawling handwriting that said sorry about the bathroom and a phone number. Qrow couldn’t imagine what it would be for, must have been something to do with last night.  
Last night…  
He didn’t remember much of it. He barely even remembered Glynda being there at all. He poured a cup of the coffee, now cold, and tried to remember more.  
The only thing left over was the distinct lack of bottles in his cabinets which was probably for the best, but also mildly disappointing at the same time.  
He finished his coffee in silence.   
He felt like shit, so he decided to take a shower and wait for the coffee to catch up to his aching brain. Only, when he got to the bathroom, there was another note taped to the door in Glynda’s handwriting that stated “sorry”.   
He felt pathetic. He couldn’t get into his own fucking bathroom and he couldn’t even remember why.   
The only positive side was that it was Saturday, which meant he didn’t have to call the school to tell them he couldn’t come it. Honestly, he just wanted to go to bed.  
So screw it, he thought, why don’t you?  
And he did.  
-  
“I’m not doing it.”  
Glynda sipped her tea, refusing to break her steady eye contact. “And why is that?”  
James sighed, he was already weary of the invitation to lunch, but little did he know it was about the one person he would really rather forget entirely. It was one night, for god’s sakes. He didn’t need to drag the past back out like a wet cat, and he certainly didn’t need Glynda to do it.  
“Because it doesn’t matter. Not to me, and clearly not to him.” He said, trying to muster up an air of finality.  
It didn’t work, since Glynda continued. “James, I like you, you know I like you. And you know I wouldn’t drag you out to breakfast and tell you all of this if I didn’t think it was good for you.”  
“You don’t know what’s good for me.”  
She sighed, “You sound like a teenager arguing with their mother. It will be good to have a friend, an ally like Qrow again.”  
“Glynda, I don’t think you understand.” He lowered his voice, “I liked him, in fact, and I was going to ask him on a proper date. But he left. He left me, just like everyone eventually does.” James said, rubbing his arm without thinking.  
“What about me, or Ozpin? We haven’t left you.”  
“If the man runs from a relationship after one night, how do you think he’ll react to a friendship with… with this?” He gestured vaguely to his metal side.  
Glynda shut her eyes, thinking. “James? When would you say you and Qrow had your little affair?”  
James tried to remember, “Maybe four months ago?”  
The pieces in Glynda’s brain clicked together. Qrow wasn’t one to leave a partner without an explanation. Not unless something bad had happened.  
And judging by the time gap, she knew what.  
“He had his reasons for leaving, trust me.” She said.   
“Which are?” James tried to prompt her on.  
Glynda shook her head. “That’s for him to tell. And you to find out.”  
James didn’t understand why she was trying so hard. The night had gone by, and so had whatever clinging emotions. He had moved on.  
Clearly they hadn’t.  
Sure, it was a wonderful night, and while James wasn’t one for one night stands like that, he had to admit it would had been nice if the man had stayed until morning until leaving him.  
But Glynda was giving him that knowing look that if he didn’t do something about this situation, she would.  
And well, he couldn’t have that.


End file.
